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June 13, 1950 c. l.. BRENTON ABDOMINAL SUPPORT l* Filed June 10. 1948 Patented June 13, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT carica; 'f.; VSUrloRfl; f

lCora. YInljrenton, JeffersonCiity',;l \/Io.` Application 10, 1948, serial No` 322119 My invention relates to newanduseful provements in abdominal supportsgor the like, and more particularly .tov the typeof `support which is in the naturelof a splint :adapted for engagement with and usev on a'corset'or' foundation garment, the primaryobject of; the invention being to provide a device of the charactermentioned particularly* applicable t`o i ,useA in connection with women who Vhave weakened, abdoni" al muscles. i'

A further object of the rinventiontre'sidesin'tlie provision of a splintv or the likeformedof aiifigid, ncnfexible materiaL light in weight'nand provided on the inner. face thereof with graduated corrugations, thereby providingv `spaces inhwhich fatty portions ofthe vabdomenmay be received.

A further object of the invention'resides ,the provision of a device `of the character mentioned which will' form aV rm waist-line support and force the fatty portions of the abdomen downwardly and inwardly, thus fiatteningvthe abdomen of the wearer and spreading the extra flesh, but at the same time rmly'supporting and uplifting the organs just above the pelvic bone. Such a device will be a solution to the problem of straight stays over a curved surfacajeliminating the dificulty of'corsetsf'slipping uplwhen the muscles are in action, and allowing;` lfreedom Y of the muscles and controllingtlem att i time-1v Still another'object of the invention resides in the provision of a device which may be quickly and readily applied to or removed from a corset r foundation Sarmentandfone whicbzisrsimple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very efficient and useful in operation.

With these and numerous other objects in View, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a corset or foundation garment applied to a female wearer, with my improved splint or abdominal support applied to use thereon and shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary inside elevation of the corset or foundation garment, showing my improved splint or abdominal support applied thereto, and

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the device applied to use on the garment.

z-claims. (C1. ,aa-4.1)

I am appreciative'ofthe fact. that there hare now offered to the-consuming public various types of abdominalsupports for those personsv possessing large, fleshy and'heavy4 abdom'ens.l Some `of these devices are in the nature of elastic bands and somev are in`the` nature of Vsplints orst'ays fitted into bands or Vthe like. These devices have not proven successfulfor all types and especially have notA met them'need and desire of women'with large abdomen who YWith proper help can 'still look neat and at thersame timehave full freedom in the natural movement` of the-body. Corsets and foundation garments o f the present day manufacture have not met the requirements. It isthe purpose of myinventiontoovercomethe dificulties now encountered and provide a device 'which will support the waist-line,'providefor 'the reception of extra `flesh and fat in the spreadingy and flattening of the abdomen and at the same time vserventev uplift the organs just vabove "the' 'pelvic 'bone and remove' obstructions .to the andifeof'the bodytf wird.

f I ri carrying out myinvention, I'shallrefer to the drawing, in which similar reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views in which the numeral Il designatesf'a' female to which is applied a corsetor `foundation garment 2. The person represented bythe figure is presumptively large and fleshy With'ala'rge4 and heavy abdomen and foundation garments applicableto women of this type, in

manyj'instancesyrareformed in sections laced 'together'Las shown at 3g' yMy invention contemp1atsiheusef a Splinter Support amicable i vto'th'e front section ofthe corset' or foundation garment 2, being shown in dotted lines on Figure 1.

The support of splint comprises a member 4 formed of plastic, or light metal, such as aluminum, having a fiat outer face and a corrugated inner face. The corrugations represented by the numeral 5 are graduated in depth smaller toward the lower edge of the device and thus provide inner face projections on the support which are of graduating thickness or depth. These projections also taper thinner toward their outer ends, said ends of the projections terminating just short of the side edges of the member 4. These projections obviously form grooves therebetween and in the grooves there are formed openings or air passages indicated by the numeral 6.

The member 4 is formed slightly concavo-convex to better fit the abdomen and the garment to which it is adapted to be attached and the the device properly on the garment is important,`

since it must be positioned to properly support the abdomen. When so properly positioned, the

top or uppermost rib or projection. 5; which isf the greatest in depth, will dividethe diaphragm` from the lower part of the abdomen and will form substantially the waist-line. tend to flatten the abdomen and force the esh and fatty portions of the abdomen downwardly. vIn thespreading and flattening process, therextra-flesh will nd its way into the spaces between theprojections or-corrugations. Were it not for this construction, the vfatty or fleshy portions` of thek abdomen would be.` forced upwardly above .the waist-line, but this series-of grooves or recesses between the projections or corrugationsreadily permits theA flesh to be received therein. The air openings will preventundue perspiration forme They lowermost projection orv corrugation `on the splint, together with theportions of the garment supporting -the latter will tendI to, uplift the `organs. just, above ,the pelvic bone of the wearer.A As the musclesA of the` body tend to pulldownwardly, this deviceapplied to thefoun- (lation garment, whenthelatter is-zapplied `to ,the

body, will tendf to hold up the, muscles, lifting them irmly and permit the eshy portions ,ofthe abdomen, which are spread andflattened, tobe received .in the: grooves .between the. corrugations. To those experiencing ,the dimculties resulting from large and heavyabdomen, the device herein shown. and describedv will prove. of great value, comfort and support.

From the. foregoing description of the constructionof my improvedabdominal supportpr splint, the construction thereof and application to use will be readily understoodandit Willbe seen that Ilhave ,provided a comparatively lsimple, inexpensive and eflicientmeans for carrying out the various objects of the invention.

While I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions .-set forth, it is apparent that variouschanges in This will form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An abdominal support comprising a plate adapted to be mounted on the abdominal portion of a garment, said plate being of concavo-convexedgformation betweeniits side edges and having'its lowerportion tapered in width towards its lower end, the concaved face of said plate be- =ing presented rearwardly and formed with transverselyy extending ribs disposed one above another, said ribs having surfaces arcuate in vertical crosssection and merging into grooves 1o- Vcated between`A the ribs and having transversely arcuate walls, said ribs successively decreasing ,.vin'thickness from the upper end of the plate towards the lower end thereof, the lowest one of saidribs being gradually feathered in thickness towards its lower edge-and merging into the lower edge,ofthe plate, and said plate being formed ,withl Ventilating openings leading from said groovesto the front surface of the plate.

2. An .abdominal support comprising a plate radaptedtobe mounted on the abdominal portion` of agarment, said plate having its rear face v concaved transversely between its side edges and formed with transversely extending ribs disposed vone above, another, said ribs. having surfaces arcuate invertical cross section and merging into the wallsof grooves located betweenthe ribs and having transversely arcuate walls, said ribs sucedge . CORAL. BRENTON.

A lREFERENCES CITED Ihefollowingy references are of record in the UNITED STATES PATENTS 41461*?,958 Great-Britain Mar. 19, l1934 

